An Ulster University lecturer has hit back at online trolls who targeted her through a new photo project.
Haley Morris-Cafiero, who went viral with her 2013 photo series Wait Watchers, has launched her book The Bully Pulpit.
It investigates the social phenomenon of cyberbullying through the public profiles of people who attempted to bully the photography lecturer.
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After finding the photos online of those who ridiculed her, she photographed herself using wigs, clothing, and simple prosthetics to recreate their images, using small imperfections, to highlight the misconception that the internet shields their identities.
She also accompanied the parodies with transcripts of the bullying comments.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Haley said: "The Bully Pulpit was inspired by my project Wait Watchers which went viral in 2013. I immediately started receiving hundreds of hateful comments, not criticising the work or concept, just telling me how ugly and horrible I was or that I needed to die.
"From the first message I just cracked up and think these people are wasting their time and electricity to send these messages.
"I knew if I responded in text they would delete it, but you can't remove an image from the Internet so I wanted to respond photographically."
For her series Wait Watchers, Haley set up a camera in a public area and photographed the scene as she performed tasks while strangers passed by.
It started a conversation about the day-to-day judgement overweight people endure.
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But it also opened Haley up to horrid abuse from online trolls and in turned sparked the idea for her next project.
"I went to take their profile and recreate it and show that the Internet wasn't going to protect them," she said.
"You can have the freedom to speak your mind but also have to deal with the consequences.
"A lot of times when I would find their profile, the profile they created was very friendly and loving and about peace and love, anything that was trendy, but they would make these comments. What they said did not link to the profile, I think they feel they can say whatever."
As well as her book, people can view some of the 25 images as part of an exhibition at Belfast Exposed until May 18.
"I want people to think and perhaps recognise themselves in the photos," said Haley.
"They may think it's them and it's not, I want them to think about themselves instead of clicking out.
"The 25 people in the project are just a proportion, it is a lot bigger than those 25 individuals."
Talking about her own reaction to the hurtful comments, Haley said laughter was her first response.
She said: "I can honestly say each time it is laughter, I think it is just hilarious to me that they want to waste their time. I think some think they are truly helping me.
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"I know it is not a standard response to laugh like that but it was my response at the time and that s why I wanted to do something with it because to me it's hilarious they think I care, that it is going to stop me, it fuels me more."
Haley said social media giants do have a lot to answer for and she said she hoped her project would start a conversation about how people treat each other online.
She said this was her way of outsmarting and outwitting the bullies.
Talking about what she wanted people to take away from the project, she said: "I think the first thing is that the Internet is not going to protect them.
"Secondly, I hope a victim sees that they do not always get away with being mean, someone will call them out and work to manage the hurtful behaviour in different ways. If you respond to bullies it feeds them and fuels them more.
"I hope it will stop someone bullying someone, that they see their behaviour and think, 'I need to stop doing that'."
Urging others to stand up to trolls, she added: "I wish people didn't do that, I think unfortunately we are so used to it now that we have become numb to it.
"I also think people should stick up for someone when they see then being bullied. I don't think people realise how much power they have, not just over bullies but they can really impact that victim's life just by saying something.
"Bullies want to make people feel invisible, if victims see somebody sees them it can mean the world to them."
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